Pad and pocket therefor



Jan. 11, 11949. I R T I 2,458,646

' PIADYSAND: f O C KET T E EFQR "2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Au 1;, 1945 INVENTO'R Luz K002; BY s W ATTORNEY Jan. 11, 1949. L. ROOT v 7 2,458,646

' PAD AND POCKET THEREFOR 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 11; 1945 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 11,1949

PAD AND POCKET THEREFOR Lin Root, Boston, Mass., assig'nor, by mesne assignments, of one-half to Burens Products, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application August 11, 1945, Serial No. 610,284

My invention relates to a novel type of removable pad for controlling the surface contours of outer and inner garments, and for a pocket for attachment to the garment, which pocket is designed to receive the pad and for utilizing the many advantages which may be derived therefrom.

The principal objects of my invention are to provide a pad that has the softness and the feel of flesh to the touch; that is flexible; elastic; of extreme lightness; sanitary; washable; odorless; not cold to the touch; that may be made nonabsorbent; that is adapted to be moulded into specific shapes, having a tendency to retain a desired shape under normal pressures, and. which will return to a'specific shape when distorting pressure is released therefrom; that is removable without sewing or any special technique; that is suitable for all shoulders, male or female; and that may be utilized with slips, brassieres, blouses, shirts, coats, etc.; and that may be made interchangeable, i. e. one set of pads may be used for various garments by removal from one and insertion into another.

Further objects are to provide a pocket for said pad which has a predetermined shape; which may v be readily attached to a garment; which may be opened for receiving the pad and readily closed thereafter, without sewing, pinning, etc.; which may be readily adjusted so as to change its shape; and which may be cleaned or laundered, thereby enabling it to remain a permanent part of the garment, needing no special attention.

The pad and pocket therefor are invaluable for use as a shoulder pad, and the combination has the effect of imparting a depth and breadth tothe shoulder which is natural in appearance and which improves the fit and hang of the outer garment.

Still further objects, therefore, are to provide a pad and attachable pocket therefor to the V shoulder portions of garments for obtaining a desired shape thereto, and which pads and pocket are inexpensive to manufacture, and readily installed therein.

I accomplish these and other objects and:obtaln"v I 11 Claims. (Cl. 2-468) Fig. 3 is a longitudinally sectioned view of the shoulder pocket with modified closing means.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the same.

Fig. 5 is an edge view of a pocket showing an adjusting means.

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing an adjustment.

Fig. 7 is a pad made in solid form.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken along 8-8 of Fig. '7.

Fig. 9 is a pad made of a uniformly thin top wan.

Fig. 15 is a a having top, bottom and end walls.

Fig. 16 is a sectional view taken along l6-l8 of Fig. 15.

Fig. 17 is a front view of an undergarment construction having shoulder and shoulder strap pads.

Fig. 18 is a cross-sectional view of the strap taken along [8-18 of Fig, 17.

Fig. 19 is a side view of the elevated shoulder strap construction.

Fig. 20 is a sectional view of a pad which is readily attachable to a garment, without using. 7

a pocket therefor.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Fig.1and 2, reference view l0 designates the pad, and the pocket. The material from which I make my pad is sponge or foam rubber,

or latex, which I have discovered will produce the desired results. Other synthetic materials may be employed which are'like rubber in appearance and thesevsynthetic rubbers or plastics may be substituted therefor.

The pocket for the pad is preferably made of I suitable cloth, and consists of an undersection I2,

vice described in the following specification," ear. I

ticularly pointed out in the claims, and illustrated Fig. 2 is a longitudinallysectioned view taken 5 through 2-4 of Fig. 1.

atop section lland an end wall I l. Thejt'op and under sections are sewed together as at I! along I my new results as will be apparent from thedezl fl their periphery to form Pocket structure,

inward'seam l8; and has a free edge l9 to form a.

flap which overlaps the upwardly extending edge 20 of the bottom or undersection 12.. Thus it is possible to insert the pad lii by spreadin theoverlapping edges and seat the pad in position in the pocket.

It will therefore be seen that the pocket is characterized by a bottom and top section and an end wall which indicates the maximum height of the pad when used as a shoulder pad. The pocket .is shaped to provide the maximum height at the end wall, which diminishes towards the neck line where the top and bottom sections are secured.

The bottom wall is concave in cross-section, as shown in Fig. 1, to conform with the frontto-back curve of the shoulder.

The pocket is readily secured to the underside of the garment 2| by the stitching 22, as described aforesaid, which stitching extends along the peripheral edging It as shown in Fig. 2, and continues along the top edge 23 of the side wall, leaving the flap free to open when the pad is inserted therethrough.

wherein the bottom and top walls 25 and 26 respectively are provided with snap fasteners 21, nearest the neck line, so that upon opening, sufficient clearance is provided for the insertion of the pad. In such modification, only the extreme periphery 28 of the top section is stitched as at 29 to the garment, I to permit opening the fasteners.

In Figs. and 6, another modification is illustrated wherein the pocket is provided with means for adjusting the curve and height of the shoulder pad. In this modification the bottom or undersection Bil is provided with a plurality of fasteners 3! to 34 inclusive, some of which, for instance 3! and 32 are of the male type, 33 and 34 being of the female type. By securing fastener 32 to 33, the width of the bottom section is narrowed, simultaneously raising the height of the pad. Various combinations will produce varying results. This can be used to equalize height of uneven shoulders by making one pad higher than the other. Other types of fasteners may be used.

The pad itself is shown in Figs. 7 to 16. It may be of the solid construction 35 shown in Fig. 7, or have a uniformly thin top wall 36 as illustrated in. Fig. 9, which acts as the top section, the edges 31 of which engage the bottom edges of the pocket to give it the necessary support.

In Fig. 11, the end wall 38 is additionally provided; in Fig. 13, a, bottom wall 39 is added, and in Fig. 15, top, bottom and end walls 40, 4! and 42 respectively are employed, making the pad' hollow. Where the pad is made hollow and employs thin walls, which may be sealed, a sub stance having the characteristics of ordinary rub.- ber may be used, the pad relying for the desired characteristics on the captured air therein.

When inserting the pad into the pocket, the pad may be compressed into a slightly greater concave shaped position at the bottom section, which expands in the pocket to its more nearly normal shape, tending to lock the pad and pocket into a single unit.

The pad and pocket may be used to change the surface contour of other parts of the body when attached to the garments. Such a construction is shown in Fig. 17, wherein a brassire .5 is

4 shown provided with a shoulder pocket 46, and a shoulder strap 41. Within the shoulder pocket, forming a permanent part of the brassiere, a pad 48 may be inserted. The shoulder strap 41 may have double walls, and 49a as shown in the ness of the breast by mounting it to the upper surface of the shoulder pocket, as shown in Fig. 19, and not underneath the pocket, giving the final result of adding lift to the breast without compression thereof, and a smoothness of line which architecturally harmonizes the shoulder and breast sections into an appearance visually seen in youth.

A more flattering appearance is thus obtained which follows the natural youthful lines of the body and compensates for changes in the anatomy which result from age, bad posture, and poor chest development.

In Fig. 20, a pad 60 is shown which requires no pocket therefor. Fastener 6| may be moulded into the body of the pad, or a thin fabric 62 containing the fasteners may be moulded to the pad; or a, thin peripheral wall 63 may be moulded to the edges of the pad, and fasteners positioned in suitable position so that a garment 64, having complementary fasteners 65, may be provided with a pad simply by connecting the fasteners to each other. Snap fasteners or hook and eye types may be used for this purpose.

In the foregoing description, I have indicated a novel form of pad and pocket therefor, for visually compensating for structural deficiencies in the body, as well as providing an effect desired to meet the demands of current style.

The pad itself permits a change in the surface contours of apparel without noticeable weight. The pad, although having a predetermined shape, elastically complies with the movements of the body and the garment being worn. It is further distinguished by being odorless, washable, non-absorbent, flesh-like to the touch, light, porous, and flexible.

The pocket possesses a size and shape by itself, which substantially fits the body portion for which it has been designed. Means are provided therein for readily positioning and securing the pad to be used therewith. Adjustable means are provided for readily increasing the height and width of the pad when desired. The pad itself may be directlyattached to the garment without the use of. a pocket.

When used as a shoulder pad for a brassiere, the strap therefor may be elevated by means of the pad to produce a more youthful appearance. When designed for insertion in the shoulder strap, the pad will eliminate the. hollow appearance between the shoulder blade and chest.

I have thus described my invention, but I desire it understood that it is not confined to the particular forms or uses shown and described, the same being merely illustrative, and that the invention may be carried out in other ways without departing from the spirit of my invention, and, therefore, I claim broadly the right to employ all equivalent instrumentalities coming. within the scope of the appended claims, and by'means of which, objects of my invention are attained and new results accomplished, as it is obvious that the particular embodiments herein shown and described are only some of the many that can be employed to attain these objects and accomplish these results.

I claim:

' .1. A pocket for attachment to apparel, and a soft flexible pad therefor, said pocket having a predetermined volumetric shapecomprising a bottom section having a peripheral edge, and shaped to fit a portion of the body, a top section having a peripheral edge and a contour to which it is desired to shape the apparel, and a side wall joining and connecting the top and bottom sections, where the peripheral edges are spaced therefrom, forming a hollow structure; said pad having a predetermined shape for filling the hollow structure.

2. A shoulder pad of a predetermined volumetric shape for use with a garment, made or lightweight resilient material and having in crosssectlon a curved top surface and abottom surface, said pad being shaped so as to provide a diminishing cross-sectional area from substantially one end of the pad to the other, and mechanically ad-.- justable means externally associated with said pad for increasing the curve of the upper surface without changing the volumetric contents of the pad. I

3. The shoulder pad of claim 2 wherein the adjustable means comprises a pocket for said pad,

said pocket being provided with detachable securing means on the under side thereof for increasing the curve of the upper surface of the pad.

4. An under-garment having a shoulder strap""" and a pad made of resilient material positioned underneath the shoulder strap at the shoulder thereof for changing the position of the shoulder strap with respect to the supported under-gar-.

ment whereby the angle of support of the strap ,will more nearly approach a vertical position.

7. The combination of claim 1, wherein the pad is made of homogenous cellular material, moulded into a predetermined shape for filling the pocket.

8. The combination of claim 7, wherein the pad is made of rubber.

9. A shoulder pad made of moulded homogenous cellular material having a predetermined volumetric shape, said pad provided with securing means for attachment to a garment.

10. An undergarment for use on the body having a shoulder strap and a resilient pad, said pad being secured to said strap in a manner to permit a resilient portion of the pad to be positioned between the strap and the body.

11. An undergarment for use underneath an outer garment; said undergarment having a shoulder strap, and a body portion supported thereby; said shoulder strap being provided with a closed pocket and a pad contained in said pocket, said pocket and pad having the desired length, width and depth to provide a change in the surface contour of the body in contact therewith, said pad being made of resilient and compressible material.

' LIN ROOT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record inthe file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 145,661 Kyser Dec. 16, 1873 1,041,461 Grean Oct. 15, 1912 1,112,254 Bloch Q. Sept. 29, 1914 2,110,951 Frals Mar. 15, 1938 2,116,095 Bailie May 3, 1938 2,162,858 Pankeyfiu June 20, 1939 2,195,806 Bariieri 1 Apr. 2, 1940 2,235,368 Smith June 2, 1942' 2,304,699 Levy Dec. 8, 1942 2,329,496 Walcofi Sept. 14, 1943 2,365,280 Lahm Dec. 19, 1944- 2,410,986 Mechor Nov. 12, 1946 2,413,526 Solomon Dec. 31, 1946 FQREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 434,771 Great Britain Sept. 9, 1935 506,608

Great Britain June 1, 1939 

